The Obelisk
by tigerfriend1999
Summary: Leah doesn't want to fight, but she has no choice. If she wants to remain in the shelter of the Order of the Red Erisem, she'll have to join the troops as they fight for power over the mysterious Obelisk. But when Lenda the Wise pairs her up with a quiet Lupe named David, will her chances for survival increase...or be shattered completely? Neopets fic. R&R, as always!
1. Chapter 1

All this talk of war has upset many. Neopets all over are scattered, divided by the boundaries of the factions they chose. If you don't get involved, you'll get crushed. You will be everyone's enemy. War is like that. All of Neopia is scared, so everyone rushes to the faction they think is the strongest. You choose the strongest, and you're guaranteed safety and help during the fight. As long as you don't break the boundaries into other factions, you can rest assured that you have an army behind you to protect your family.

And yet, all of this never had to happen.

The Obelisk has stood alone in the empty plains of the Tyrannian Plateau for eons. No one knows how it evaded detection for so long. The general theory (at least in the Order of the Red Erisim) is that it was cloaked by an ancient magic; invisible, if you will. However, for unknown reasons, the spell broke, and the Oracle was freed. All of a sudden, it's a mad rush to get to the Obelisk before anyone else; to conquer it, and harness its power.

I sit in the shadows of the Red Hall, the base of the Order. Our leader, a smart (if somewhat sassy. Don't tell her I said that) Bori known simply as Lenda the Wise, bends over a crystal ball, surveying the Obelisk inside it. Apparently, if you know how to turn it on, you can use a crystal ball to see what's happening in certain places. Kind of like your own personal news channel.

I've never been good with magic, nor have I ever been in a real fight before. I once challenged Punchbag Bob at the Battledome...The moment I entered the arena, I cringed, curled up in a ball, and it took the attendants two hours to get me to move. Meanwhile, Bob was over there, flopping over himself because some of his stitches had popped, and he was off-balance with all his stuffing falling out. Oh, yes, that was not a pleasant day for either of us. I wound up forfeiting the match, and Bob had to be taken to the locker room to get sewed back up again.

But I will have to fight if this is to end.

It's a mad frenzy to get to the Obelisk first. The laws seem to be "If they're not a member of your faction, kill them." That goes for the innocent as well. Many Neopets have tried to hide, they were frightened, and decided that their best option would be to lie low and stay neutral. But they were found by the other factions...and they were destroyed.

It's disgusting, the way war affects some. Lenda the Wise is only involved because she wishes to protect the power of the Obelisk. If anyone tries to misuse it, it could result in catastrophe. That's why Lenda organized the Order of the Red Erisem. She has told us, "Be a beacon of hope for the others." A lot of Neopets are scared. I am too. Lenda wants us to help. Thanks to Aethia's training, I've been able to learn a few simple healing techniques. They aren't much, but I do what I can to help. The Order tries to help keep Neopets safe. So we fight.

"War has broken out, my friends," she says. "We will have to fight to keep each other safe. I want it made clear right now that there is no giving up. You are in this fight for each other, and you can't back down if your teammate falls. You'll have to be there for each other, is that understood?" There is a general murmur of agreement, and several of us nod solemnly. She looks directly at me, and I can feel her green eyes piercing into me, probing at my fear. "Many of you have never fought before. I admire your courage in this time of peril. If you do fall, know that the Order will be there to help you back up again. We are an Order, not a mob. We are not to get lost in the bloodlust of warfare. Anyone caught attacking the innocent or breaking the boundaries of truce outside the battlefield will be discharged from the Order. You are dismissed for the evening." The dull chatter rises again as Neopets, donned in the trademark red cape of the Order, file out of the hall. Some of them are already on crutches, nursing black eyes and twisted ankles. They lean on the stronger Neopets for support, and I can only pray that I will only have to support the wounded, not lean on the healthy.

"Leah, come here for a moment. I wish to speak with you." I turn away from the last of the crowd who are heading home. Lenda is sitting at the desk, organizing her books and journals and filing them away for tomorrow's strategy meeting. She peers at me over her glasses. Her eyes appear to be hard when you first meet her, and she can seem uncaring, but in truth, she is soft-hearted and compassionate. She only wants to use her knowledge to protect us.

"I understand that you are a Xweetok of peace," she begins, motioning me to sit down on a chair near her. "And I realize that it was never your intention to be involved in battle."

"Yes ma'am..." I say softly.

"War is a frightening time for everyone. If there was another way, I would gladly take it. But I believe we are beyond the point of reasoning with the other leaders now. I never wanted you for combat, Leah, I want you to understand that. But there was no other way. Neopets everywhere are trying to flee, but there is nowhere to go. The Order does all we can to protect them, but we still have to fight. When I accepted you, know that I never wanted to endanger you. But I do not see another option outside of battle. Just know that the Order will do everything in our power to protect each other. You will never fall alone. You will always have someone to be with you. That is the Undeniable Law of the Order, that we stick together and work for a brighter future. I hope that it provides you with comfort when you face our enemies on the battlefield. There is no running away, but there are Neopets you can run to for help, such as myself."

"Yes ma'am..." I say again. She sighs, suddenly looking very tired.

"Very well, that is all. You may return home for some rest."

"Thank you, ma'am..." I say, quietly rising from my seat.

"Oh, and Leah." I turn and face her again. "May I just say that I admire your efforts. I know it is difficult for you to fight, and I truly believe that that makes you one of the bravest members of the Order that I know."

"Thank you, ma'am. I only manage because I have you to guide me..." She smiles at me. They say that earning a smile from Lenda the Wise is a near impossible feat. And it is irresistible to smile back.

**A/N: And there you have it. Chapter one. This was a fic that's been floating around in my google docs for a while now, and I decided I wouldn't lose anything by publishing it here. There are several more chapters which I shall post, but I'm not sure when this thing is going to end. It'll just write itself, I suppose. By the way, I have been playing Neopets since I was eight, and I'm still into it. Look me up! -animalgalclaire (or as you know me, Niki Bogwater).**


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, everyone is paired up into teams of two. "All members of the Order are obligated to watch out for each other. But your partner will be the one who is always by your side on the battlefield. May I remind you that the penalty for abandoning a Neopet on the battlefield is discharge from the Order of the Red Erisem. Your partner is your constant, though, and I encourage each of you to place the safety of your personal partner at the top of your priorities. If we all look out for each other, we can win this." There is a rise of cheering from the other members, as there always is when Lenda gives a speech. She's good at talking.

"Leah," she calls. "You will be paired with David." I stare at the hulking figure in front of me. David is a Lupe (I think), and is renowned for his expertise on the battlefield. He stands erect, tall, and stiff, his shaggy black fur interrupted by various scars. He peers down at me with those steely gold eyes and leans down to sniff at me with his huge nose. I know I must look pathetic. Thin, small, quivering, my blue fur paled in the magnificence of his black coat.

"You will not leave each other's side on the battlefield, is that understood?" Lenda says sternly, as David eyes me critically.

"Yes, ma'am..." I squeak. David nods silently, never taking his eyes off me. I notice several of the other girls glaring at me, jealousy written clearly on their faces. Apparently, David is this month's catch for all the local females. I guess I understand why, though. He's strong, loyal, handsome, and not to mention he's mysterious. Girls seem to like mysterious this month.

He never says a word to me as we file out of the Red Hall, the other Neopets lining up to be paired up by Lenda. I'm still gawking at him as we collect our weapons from the Armory. I'm telling you, this guy's paw is as big as my face. I barely come up to his shoulder when I'm standing up straight. You can tell he means business.

I collect my various herbs and potions for healing, buckling on a small dagger as well. I look at my partner and once again, my weapons are meek compared to his. A huge broadsword is strapped to his shoulder, a large metal shield guarding his back. As I watch him, I notice that he seems to favor his left front leg. I look away suddenly when he realizes I'm staring at him. More Neopets are filing in with their partners to collect their battle gear as well, so David silently stalks out of the room, hardly giving anyone else a passing glance. I follow him closely, not sure of what else I'm supposed to do. I sort of wonder if I can trust this guy to stick with me on the battlefield. There is nothing worse than being alone and hurt during a fight. That's something Lenda wants to avoid for all of us, which was why she paired us up in the first place. But I have my doubts that David will actually go through with that.

He glances back at me once or twice to make sure I'm still behind him, and I have to suppress a yelp every time I feel those golden eyes land on my small body. As soon as all the Neopets have been partnered with each other, we're given our positions for battle. David and I are put at the front (much to my discomfort). "I want each of you to learn how to work with your partner," Lenda tells us as she points out coordinates on a rough map of the battlegrounds. "All of you have different areas of expertise, and you need to combine your talents to keep each other safe." She stares hard at me and David for a moment, before shouting, "Move out!"

This is no time to panic, I tell myself, fighting back the urge to flee. I will not cower. Not in front of David, at least. Even when we're not fighting, I must look so weak to him. An Ixi bandit jumps in front of me, brandishing a jagged dagger. "Time to die, little one," he sneers. His dagger swings, and I instinctively curl myself up underneath my blue shield. His strike bounces back at him, sending him staggering and only bumping me a little bit from my safe haven beneath my shield. I lunge at him quickly, throwing in all of my Xweetok skills to slash at him and duck away before he even has a chance to see me. What my kind lacks in brute strength, we make up for with speed and agility. I feel a rush of adrenaline as he lunges at me, but this time, he distracts me with one dagger from above, while swishing another one out from under his coat, coming up under my chest. I'm trapped from both sides.

I scream in agony as the dagger makes contact with my chest, just barely missing my heart and my lungs. He wrenches his dagger out with a cruel smile, my blood spurting onto the dusty ground as I squeeze my eyes shut, awaiting certain doom.

But suddenly, it's the bandit who is screaming, and has fallen by my feet, unconscious. David lifts me up onto his back, covering me with his shield as arrows rain down on us. I feel his back heaving as he sprints back towards the bunkers, panting heavily. I black out just as we make it to the medical tent.

**A/N: Leah is based off of my own Xweetok, Yleahbella, who I love a lot. David is based off of my big brother, Calvin, who I love even more. Just a bit of trivia, there. :3 -"Niki Bogwater"**


End file.
